


Petty Family Affairs

by coffeeandcream_mei



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Divorce, F/M, Female Kim Joonmyun | Suho, Genderbending, How Do I Tag, Paris (City), Slice of Life, author's general bad sense of humor, why is there no Kim Junhee tag what an audacity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-03
Updated: 2017-04-03
Packaged: 2018-10-14 13:07:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10537068
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/coffeeandcream_mei/pseuds/coffeeandcream_mei
Summary: This is the Sehun’s regretfully divorced parents KrisHo meets fashion AU no one asked for.





	1. Petty

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t even know what this is. Tia retweeted a tweet of Sehun’s cover shoot for L’Optimum Style Thailand and a picture of Kris wearing the same coat and tee onstage of something. I felt triggered. This happened. I love bickering parents KrisHo. I continue being certified KrisHo trash 2k17. No promise on the quality of this.

“There isn’t a single petty bone in your body, is there?” Jisoo comments sarcastically as Junhee’s private cellphone goes off and Blow Me by Pink! blasts through the atelier. 

The designer steps away from her current star model, putting the pin cushion down on the table before pulling out her iphone with a frown. 

“I don’t know what time it is in stupid Beijing right now, but people in this timezone are working, Wu Yifan. What do you want?” Junhee bites out. 

She is in the middle of finishing the fitting for a new design and if one Kris Wu, global supermodel and ex-husband extraordinaire were in his right mind he would certainly remember this is a sensitive time for Junhee during which not even a natural catastrophe is allowed to steal her concentration. 

Yet, here they are and Yifan has scored another point on her list of annoyances with the surety and experience of an NBA basketball player at the free throw line. 

“Sehun did it again” is all Yifan answers and Junhee rolls her eyes. 

“What precisely? Drive your car and forgot to refill the tank? Lent and lost your favorite sunglasses? Got caught making out with Huang Zitao in a public setting again? Or Zhang Yixing this time? You have to specify what our son did or I can’t tell you what to do for damage control.” 

“If you looked into his closet you’d figure.” 

“I don’t go fashion police on our son. He knows what he can and cannot wear. He grew up surrounded by well-dressed people.” Junhee reminds her ex-husband. 

“That’s not my issue here, Junhee.” Yifan hisses. “He keeps taking outfits from my wardrobe whenever he’s here and takes them to Paris. He doesn’t ask whether he can have them and he’s not bringing them back either. Instead I see him in the gossip news wearing gifts I received from designers to the airport or to parties. How does that make me look in front of the people I work for?” 

“Is that my problem? Don’t you have a walk-in closet? I’m sure you can lock it. Besides, Sehun looks great in your clothes, you know that as well as I do.” Junhee rolls her eyes and sends a glare at Jisoo when he moves just the slightest bit. 

“You could give him enough allowance money to buy designer clothes for himself.” Yifan suggests annoyed. 

“Are we really discussing this again? He lives with me and I pay for his fashion design studies, I believe that is perfectly enough. If he wants to make it in this industry then he has to work hard for it. No one handed us our careers either. We wore pret-à-porter from clothing chains for a long time before you got designers thirsting to dress you and I had people lining up to model for me. If Sehun can’t make street and clothing chain fabrics fashion then he doesn’t have what it takes.” 

“He can still choose a career in modeling.” 

“Like you? Pray tell me, what will you do when they start replacing you with younger men? Be part of the jury of China’s Next Topmodel?” Junhee taunts. 

“I am sure I get offers by magazines and designers to work in their production teams.” 

“Oh and you know what could be useful then? A degree in fashion design for example.” 

“Junhee.” 

“Yifan.” Junhee imitates his whiny tone. Jisoo’s loud snort travels through the whole atelier. 

“You’re not alone, huh?” Yifan asks with a suddenly very even tone. 

“No, I’m in the atelier with Jisoo to do some fitting.” 

“Oh.” 

“Yes, oh.” Junhee repeats.

“Just fitting, huh?” 

“Of course just fitting, none of my models are like you.” 

“What is that even supposed to mean. Why are you acting as if that was solely one-sided.” Yifan defends himself. 

“I didn’t say it was, I just asked you to not make assumptions.” 

“Fine. Sorry for disturbing you during your fitting. I know you hate that.” 

“Good to see that you remember.” Junhee says and picks the pin cushion up again. Jisoo looks pointedly into a completely different direction, but she can tell he is severely amused. 

“How could I not. Look, I’ll send you a picture of the outfit I’m referring to. Please ask Sehun to return it.” 

“Why don’t you ask him yourself, he’s your son too.” 

“Junhee, please.” 

“You know that once he loves an outfit it’s his. If you want to get it back you’ll have to pry it out of his clutching hands.” 

There is silence on the line and Junhee checks her display to see if Yifan hung up on her. Wouldn’t be the first time. After his last visit they had a very unpleasant fight that ended with a yelling contest until the line went dead. 

“Then how about I come to Paris and do just that? My schedule has a four days slot in three weeks. We could spend time as a family, if you’re okay with me staying at your place. I’ll talk to Sehun about this clothes lending business too, you won’t have to do it. In return I’d really love for you to do a design for a new coat for me. Just private. I’ve worn my last one out and you made that one for me. We both can admit you just know my requirements best.” 

Junhee ponders for a moment. Last time Yifan was there he had demanded a new pair of pants from her with the same exact reasoning and it had ended rather unexpectedly with her getting a bit too lost in how attracted she was to her ex-husband still. Yifan’s suggestion is a rather poorly concealed request to repeat what divorced people certainly should not be doing with each other. 

“Okay, fine. I’ll warn Sehun though.” 

“Do that. And now I’ll stop bothering you at work.” 

“You always bother me.” 

“I know.”

_

“Your father wants his jacket and gucci shirt back.” Junhee yells into the hallway when her son returns from university early in the evening. 

Sehun kicks his shoes off at the entrance before shuffling into the living room and dropping down on the couch, immediately resting his head on Junhee’s shoulder. 

“When have I ever returned any of the outfits though? They look better on me than on him anyway.” Sehun comments with unconcealed narcissism and Junhee wonders not for the first time if it was such a good idea to mix her own DNA full of stubbornness, pride and charm with Yifan’s DNA of self-indulgence, cockiness and beauty. Then again, it hadn’t been an idea. It had been a full-fledged accident of two teenagers. 

And what a handsome, lovable and life changing accident Sehun was. 

Junhee turns her head to kiss Sehun’s forehead and smiles amused. It is true, Sehun naturally looks good in everything that looks good on his father and despite having a closet full of clothes in each parent’s apartment Sehun has made it a habit since the divorce to continuously import designer gifts to his father from Beijing to Paris. It almost looks like a scheme. 

“So I told him. He really wants some of his things back though so he’ll come by in three weeks to pick them up. You might want to hide some of the outfits you can’t part with.” Junhee warns him. 

“That’s not all there is, right?” Sehun pushes. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Please mother, who do you take me for to believe getting back his clothes is all he’s going to do here.” Sehun huffs offended. 

“Okay, right. He’ll stay here too. In the guest room. I thought you might be happy to have us all under one roof for a few dinners again.” Junhee admits with a shrug. 

“I bet you he bargained for a personal design from you, one of a kind, only for him and he is going to insist on a personal, intimate fitting which is going to end like last time when I stumbled into you two christening your otherwise sacred atelier.” 

“That’s not-” Junhee stammers but Sehun snorts and gets up. 

“Honestly, no one is going to throw a fit if you two decide to have a relationship again. I’m used to you two bickering twenty-four seven over the smallest things because friction has been your thing since 1992. Remember, I’ve been around twenty years of that? This half-baked something that’s currently going on sucks.” Sehun rambles and Junhee regrets avoiding to have this conversation back when Sehun caught them red-handed being lost in each other. Then a thought comes to her. 

“Say, Sehun. Could it be you steal his clothes purpose to make us communicate?” Junhee asks sharply. 

Sehun winces and walks into the kitchen, his mother hot on his tail. 

“So what if I do?” Sehun snaps as he grabs a glass from the shelf. “I know it’s not my position, but you’re being both so fucking ridiculous. You managed to raise me and pursue your careers at the same time although you were terribly young. You’ve gotten through much more straining times together. We were a family until you two decided we aren’t. Or are we? You two really gotta decide, Mom.” 

“It’s not that easy, Sehun. A divorce leaves scars behind.” Junhee explains but it is a fruitless attempt. Stubbornness runs in the family after all. 

“Then make it simple. Do you still love Dad?” 

Junhee sighs deeply. 

“I haven’t loved anybody else since I was fifteen.” 

“There you go. Do you regret the divorce?” 

Junhee gives Sehun a long look. She generally refuses thinking about the divorce for too long and when her friends ask her about it she usually just vents about all the things that annoy her about Yifan. But this is Sehun and he’s her son. If she can’t be honest to him about this, towards who can she? 

“Yes.” 

“Then” Sehun says with a smile that grows pleased and triumphant, “you should talk to Dad. He always asks me about the male models who work for you and his jealousy is super transparent. You two belong together and everyone and their mother knows that.” 

-

_“Reconciliation? - Kris Wu to run for ex-wife’s label Gardienne on Paris Fashion Week”_

_“10 reasons why Fashion royalty Junhee Kim and Kris Wu might be back together”_

_“Spotted: Kris Wu and Junhee Kim on private dinner in Beijing”_

Junhee chuckles quietly as she scrolls down her news feed on her phone. There is an arm draped over her waist under the covers and Yifan breathes hotly into her neck. His bed is comfortable, she has to give him that. 

“We’re the talk in Fashion town.” Junhee informs her ex-husband when she feels him shifting behind her. 

“Let them talk.” Yifan slurs tiredly and presses a kiss to her naked shoulder. “Most of those are probably ridiculous speculations.” 

“Rumor has it we’re preparing to get remarried.” Junhee snorts. Yifan snorts too, but she does not miss it when he mumbles: 

“I wish.” 


	2. Bickering

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is the Sehun’s regretfully divorced parents KrisHo meets fashion AU no one asked for, Part TWO

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had the previous chapter all written and ready for posting when one Kichie threw me this prompt:  
> "Where Sehun whines to his dad how thrifty his mom is so his dad spoils him. Later that night mom calls dad to scold him for spoiling their son and oh no what am I doing."
> 
> So guess what I did... yes, I wrote it.
> 
> This takes place some time before the events in the previous chapter and is what Junhee refers to when she asks Yifan if they are “discussing this again”. To be honest I don’t even know how much this really goes into the direction of Kichie’s prompt. But hey, enjoy.

Paris always gives Yifan a feeling of deep nostalgia. The city is rich of history, of past times of different kind. 

There is the history of a growing city and capital, of different social constructs, of a revolution and human rights. There is the history of religious persecution, of occupation, of shame and glory. There is the history of architecture and cuisine and of course there is the history of makeup and fashion. 

And there is the history of the rise of his career and fall of his marriage. The history of his family that still lives there, surrounded by the past and seemingly doing well. 

Yifan is not doing so well, but he is good at playing pretend. 

That Paris is the city of his ex-wife is something Yifan is reminded of mere minutes after being through passport check at Charles de Gaulle airport. He waits for his luggage and whether he glances left or right, behind him or in front, the hall is plastered with advertising for the Parisienne fashion brand Gardienne. 

Gardienne had been Junhee’s far, distant dream when Yifan met her at the age of almost sixteen. His mother had moved them to South Korea and he had been awkward, tall and most importantly _Chinese_ , plenty of reason for his classmates to treat him rough. To this day Yifan believes he was one of Junhee’s pity projects that, in eyes of her father, went a little too far. 

For someone who had denied Junhee all support when Sehun was born in the year 1994, the old man had paradoxically learned to adore his grandson embarrassingly fast once they moved to Paris. It did not stop him from sending Yifan a letter dripping of pleasant triumph after the divorce was through. 

Sehun grew up in Paris, playing with toy blocks in Junhee’s cheap first atelier during her studies and in hallways where Yifan waited to be called in for the casting. Between all the struggle for recognition and trying to raise a toddler, Yifan and Junhee had both worked the oddest of jobs to make ends meet. Junhee had made Yifan promise not to do something illegal. To this day he kept her blissfully oblivious to how he brought in money in very desperate times. What they would have done if the French education system did not offer mostly free full time care for children from the age of 3 on, Yifan does not dare thinking about. 

If you ask Yifan which of his achievements he is the proudest of his answer was, is and always will be “Sehun”. He only contributed half of his gene pool to this little wonder of nature and Junhee did most of the work nurturing their son during pregnancy and for many months after, but it stands. Despite their jobs Junhee and he were equally present in Sehun’s life up until the divorce and Yifan believes he has done his part in bringing Sehun up to be a genuine, empathetic and kind human. 

Helping Junhee’s dream come true comes close second. Although the ads serve as a reminder of a blissful past they also remind him that he was the brand’s first face and took it to the first ranks of the industry. Sehun is their son, Gardienne might be their pretty, little daughter. 

It is Sehun who greets him as Yifan steps into the arrival area. 

“Papa!” 

A smile blooms on his son’s face and then Yifan has his arms around Sehun’s broad back and hugs him. 

“If you don’t stop growing soon you’ll be taller than me.” Yifan says, affectionate and proud. 

Parents are said to generally see everything their child does through fogged lenses, but Yifan is a senior model and has seen plenty of younger male models to be perfectly aware that Sehun’s looks and height are above industry standard. Then again, he is Yifan and Junhee’s son. 

“Hashtag goal reached I’d say.” Sehun laughs and Yifan shakes his head, bemused with the way youth expresses itself these days. 

“Your Mom let you have the car to pick me up?” Yifan wonders as they walk towards the parking deck, steadily ignoring the two or three reporters following them. This is not uncommon, fashion journalism calls them fashion royalty after all and any move of theirs is news. 

“She let me have the car, yes. That I picked you up is a fact I plan to let her in on later.” Sehun explains nonchalantly while Yifan heaves his luggage into the trunk. Yifan still laughs when they are driving deeper into the city. 

“When are you leaving again?” Sehun asks over the EDM blasting through the car’s stereo system. 

“On Sunday evening. I have two jobs and I promised to see someone for a future job. Exciting project, fashion for men in the forties and older. They don’t just want my face, they want my experience and expertise.” 

“Sounds great Dad.” 

“And you, did the acceptance letter come in?” 

“Such a parent question.” Sehun complains. 

“I am your parent, surprise. I’m just asking because I know you really want this and I’m almost as anxious for happy news as you are.” 

“Not as anxious as Mom. I barely stopped her from calling the university office and demanding to know when the answer letters finally come through. But yes, I have been accepted. I’ll soon start my studies in fashion design.” 

“Congratulations Hunnie. I’m proud of you.” 

“Thanks Dad. Doesn’t that call for a congratulations gift?” 

“What do you want, you spoiled brat?” 

“There’s this shirt from Chanel that I desperately want for a specific styling concept, but Mom won’t buy it. She says I can get something alike but much cheaper.” 

“Typically your Mom. She has always been like this. One of her many principles.” 

“If I didn’t know you were once married I’d say you’ve got a long-standing crush on her.” Sehun teases. All Yifan does is cough awkwardly and try to deflect. 

“You really want that one and no other will do?” 

“Yes, absolutely.” Sehun affirms and shoots Yifan a particular set of puppy eyes. 

“Fine, let’s have lunch and go shopping.” 

Sehun screams in delight. 

The same evening Yifan is in the middle of undressing for a shower and to sleep some of the jetlag off as his phone goes off. At first he is confused, he does not remember putting Lady Antebellum’s Need You Now as ringtone, but when he looks at the caller ID it becomes clear to him. 

Bingbing jie must have changed it after he got terribly drunk about a week back and whined to her about the divorce. 

He personally keeps a neutral ringtone for Junhee, because there is nothing he hates as much as announcing to the journalists who follow him wherever he goes that his feelings about getting a divorce took a perfect u-turn a while ago. 

“Yes, Junhee?” 

“Can it be you find joy in sabotaging my educational methods? Are you doing this on purpose? Just to spite me?” 

Yifan sighs. Junhee has been constantly angry with him since he filed for the divorce and while he knows he deserves it, he sometimes wishes she allowed him to breathe during the occasions they talk. 

“What did I do this time? Because I have really no idea. I landed this morning, saw Sehun, made sure he goes home instead of drifting off to a bar and went to my hotel. Is spending time with my son now undermining his upbringing?” 

“Don’t throw me that good dad card right here, Wu Yifan. We agreed that you can see Sehun as much as you please and he is an adult now and can make his own choices. What I am talking about is that you suddenly forgot our agreement not to spoil Sehun unnecessarily.” 

“Buying him designer clothes is not unnecessary spoiling, Junhee. He has taste that comes from growing up in the fashion scene, why can we not indulge him if he finds items from certain brands fitting for his expression of style?” 

“You’re always thinking with your model brain.” 

“And you’re always thinking with the brain of us in the late 90s.” 

“That’s still better than pretending there was no such us.” 

“Junhee.” 

“Yifan.” Junhee mocks back, but then her tone grows soft. 

“Don’t you see why I do this? Sehun is possibly ensnared by the thought that wearing only brand makes him fashionable. That Zitao friend he met over at yours in Beijing is far from convincing him otherwise. Does that boy wear anything but brand?” 

“It’s funny that you complain about people wearing Haute Couture when you are making your money with just that.” 

“Is it wrong to believe you only understand fashion if you can make anything fashion? Style is not which brand you wear, but how you wear it and how you combine your clothes. The name tag is not relevant. I want Sehun to understand that.” 

“I know, Junhee. I still believe that if he sees a shirt he thinks is perfect for an outfit and there is a brand name and certain price attached to it we should buy it for him. Not always or regularly, but we should.” 

“I just want to keep him humble. He needs to understand that for most people Hugo Boss is not affordable, but they still have style within the possibilities of prêt-à-porter or mass production.” 

“There goes your fashion designer brain talking.” 

“Oh, I am so sorry.” 

“No, you’re not. But that’s okay. I think I get it. I’ll still buy him brands occasionally.” 

Junhee sighs dramatically and Yifan dwells on the sound for a little while. He knows a multitude different types of Junhee’s sighs and it hits him again how much he misses something he thought he did not need anymore. Something he carelessly threw away and does not know how to get it back. All he can do is try. 

“Fine.” Junhee sighs again, this time defeated. 

“Say, Junhee. Can I ask you for a favor?” Yifan tests. 

“Not really. But talk. Perhaps I’ll change my mind.” 

“You remember that suit you designed for me back when Gardienne started out, but then never put into a collection? I ripped the pants half a year ago and I can’t find a new pair anywhere that properly goes with the jacket. It is a lot asking, but would you make me another one?” 

“Why would I do that?” 

“Because you and I both know that it strokes your ego that I can’t find something else to measure my taste and I’ll also pay you. As much as you want. I won’t brag anywhere that you designed it for me, I promise. So please?” 

Junhee hums, one of agreement if Yifan remembers correctly. He probably does. After years of marriage every sound, every move and every change in her face is still entangled with his being. 

“I believe I still have the design in my safe. How’s your schedule? You could come over tomorrow night if your schedule allows and I’ll do a fitting.” 

“You’re the best.” Yifan says, too eagerly probably and almost swallows his tongue wanting to take it back. 

“I know. Glad to see you remember.” Junhee retorts dryly. “So tomorrow evening?” 

“I could be at your atelier at seven.” 

“Sounds good to me. Try not to attract reporters. I’m not in the mood to read about us in the news ever again.” 

“Yes Ma’am.” Yifan salutes before Junhee hangs up. 

Sehun catches them that next evening doing something definitely not suit pants involved. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for my mental boner for Paris coming through, but then again, I don't.


End file.
